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Tuesday, 7 May 2013

Not your usual Bank Holiday Escapade...

for those of you that didn't know i, along with 19 other crazy fools, took part in a 24 hour walk all in the name of charity on sunday through to monday.

here i am below with my crazy pals at the beginning looking all fresh faced if not slightly apprehensive.

the walk was around the leeds country way which for the main part is typically beautiful Yorkshire countryside so it was no hardship to spend a day walking through that.

the aim was to complete as much as possible of the 100km (sounds so much more impressive than 62 miles) route in the allotted 24 hours.ahead of time i wasn't overly sure how much i would achieve and at which point i wouldn't be able to continue. in my head i wanted to get half way - apart from the fact that there was a scheduled rest stop at beautiful Oulton Hall - 30 miles seemed a credible effort to give.because of dad's recent illness and subsequent passing i hadn't had quite the recommended preparation but i was determined to give it my best shot. quite whether my feet and legs were going to provide the same determination was unknown. we had been recommended to get up to 50km in training...i'd got up to 25...a little imbalance in the equation there.

we were all out there raising money for Donisthorpe Hall a local care home for the elderly which is very close to all our hearts for one reason or another. besides the fact that this is a unique care home with outstanding care and friendliness in the locality this is where my grandma now resides. after looking after my grandad for 72 years (astounding i know!) and being ill for the last 20 grandma was delighted to be looked after at Doni, as we affectionately call it and it is testament to what an amazing place it is for her to have settled to such a change so quickly.as some of you know (i generally keep this place happy and relatively free from my private life, so you would be forgiven for not knowing) my dad passed away 2 weeks ago. the reason i mention it now is that during his 13 week long recent illness he had 2 weeks out of hospital in rehab at Doni before unfortunately heading back to hospital. those 2 weeks in Doni were spent with him the happiest we had seen him during this time. it really is a very special place.

i was personally spurred on so much to raise as much as possible and help provide more of the much needed unbelievably expensive specialist equipment that so many of the residents need. every step was done in memory of my lovely dad and i am astounded and delighted to let you know that just about all of us - including me! - completed the 24 hour challenge and walked approximately 85km in the process. i am even more astounded and delighted to let you know that we have raised over £30 000! an absolutely huge thank you to those of you that have sponsored me and if you didn't and would like to, now that you know!, please do go to my just giving page, which i think stays open for another couple of weeks. if you feel you could give just £5 in support of this wonderful cause i would thank you from the bottom of my heart.

here we all are yesterday morning returning to Doni after what has to be the most incredible challenge of my life. it was an amazing experience. even more amazing still i didn't have one blister! i do have very sore legs though!

11 comments:

Wow...well done! I am so sorry to hear about your Dad but how lovely to know that he had somewhere safe and familiar to be in his final days and also for your grandparents too. This is close to my heart at the moment as we have just moved my mother into a care home in Devon. She is very poorly and so I am anticipating another trip down there soon. I hope your aching soon recovers :)

Sorry that I missed you starting this challenge. I knew it was coming up but I've Been absent from twitter recently. I'm not sure if I sponsored you before but I'll head over tonight for sure. You've been in my thoughts and I'm so pleased you all did so well. We're proud of you. Xxx

I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad, I know how gutting it is to loose a parent, I hope you are all managing as well as can be under the circumstances. Fantastic achievement on the walk and for such a great sounding cause too. All the best, Beth/thelinencat xx